After the Boys of Summer Have Gone
by three-days-late
Summary: It's summer, which means it's time for Alfred to bounce around from boyfriend to boyfriend, completely unaware of what's right in front of him. Not that Arthur cares, because they're just friends.


**This was for the usxuk livejournal com's Summer Camp thing, Day 25 prompt: Tea and Coffee**

**This contains USUK as well as America/Japan, America/France, as well as past America/Italy. It's also a Gauken!AU that deals with unrequited love, so you have been warned.**

**Enjoy.**

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><p>"Can you believe its summer already Artie?" Alfred leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee.<p>

"Time flies quickly doesn't it?" Arthur agreed, lightly blowing on his tea before taking a sip.

They were sitting at their table, right by the window, during the lunch rush at their favorite café, people watching for now, but perhaps later Alfred will drag him to the beach, not that Arthur _wants_ to go but he will because Alfred _insists_ and maybe Arthur does want to go but only if Alfred does and-

He's getting carried away. It's best to just ignore those thoughts; Alfred is his _friend_, his best, closest friend, and he doesn't want anything, particularly his own feelings, to ruin that for him, especially since, well…

"So, is Feliciano joining us today," Arthur wanted to stab something as he pronounced that name, the name of the newest tease that's been taking Alfred, his _friend_, away from him, because they are _friends_ and Arthur wants to spend time with his _friend_.

"Oh," Alfred set his cup down and gave him a sad smile, "Well, Feli went back to Italy so we kinda broke it off."

"Oh," Arthur's heart fluttered in his chest. Maybe this time he'll see, he'll notice how perfect they are together, that Alfred doesn't need anyone else when he has such a brilliant _friend_ as Arthur. And maybe then he'll realize that, maybe, perhaps, they can be _more then friends_ and-

"I'm sorry about that," Arthur takes a sip of his tea to hide his smile.

"Yeah, well, there are plenty of other fish in the sea," Alfred winked at him, "Right Artie?"

Arthur could only nod and hope this summer, unlike all the others, was different.

* * *

><p><strong>June<strong>

"Artie!" Alfred shouted just as Arthur was sitting down at their table, "Artie, I want you to meet someone!"

Arthur cursed his horrible luck, really Alfred, so soon, but put a polite, caring smile on his face as Alfred dragged over a short, Asian-looking man and sat him down at their table.

"Artie, this is my new boyfriend Kiku Honda. Kiku, this is Arthur, my best friend since forever."

Yes _best friend_, because best friends are always there for each other, unlike backstabbing _boyfriends_ who just wander in and out of lives with no regards to the hearts that they break. And who's left to pick up the pieces afterwards? Best friends that's who, because Arthur is _perfectly content _with the title of best friend, "Pleasure to meet you Kiku?"

Kiku nodded at him, eyes a bit unfocused and distant, "The feeling is mutually, Arthur-san. Alfred-kun talks about you a lot."

As he should, "How did you two meet?" _When_ did you two meet, he wanted to ask, because Arthur certainly wasn't there to witness this, but held his tongue.

"A few days ago," Alfred smiled at him. Kiku stirred his coffee, "Remember when I went to the computer place to get my computer fixed? Kiku was there too, and we sorta clicked."

"Ah, I see," Arthur took another sip of tea, "You just _clicked_."

"Yup," he grinned before he realized something was missing and shot up, "Crap, where's my coffee?" he shouted as he ran over to the counter to bug the barista.

"So, Kiku," Arthur set his tea down, "What do you like to do for fun?"

Kiku paused in his stirring and looked up at Arthur, "Well, I'm a very quiet person. I usually like being by myself, drawing, writing, or video games mostly."

Unlike Alfred, who preferred sunshine, large crowds, and louder music. Although he did like video games. If that was really all it took to date Alfred Jones, why hasn't he noticed Arthur yet? Not that Arthur likes video games, but they have more than that in common. Not that Arthur _wants _to date Alfred, because they're _just friends_.

"Anything interesting?" he asked instead.

For some reason, this made him blush and look away, "N-not particularly…"

"What exactly is it you see in Alfred?" Arthur took another sip of his tea, "No offense, you don't seem like you two would 'click' instantly."

Kiku shrugged as he picked up his cup and sipped his coffee, "He has all the major game consoles and access to the newest games."

Arthur blinked, "That's, a pretty shallow reason for dating someone."

"And you care because you're such a concerned friend?" Kiku's gaze seemed to pierce right through him, taking Arthur aback, "Or is there more to it, Arthur-san?"

"I – well – what are you-" Arthur spluttered.

"Back," Alfred announced as he placed an arm on Kiku's shoulder, "But we really need to get going. We're having a massive gaming marathon at my house. Later Artie!" he waved as he guided his new boyfriend out of the café.

Arthur rested his head on the table as soon as he was sure they were gone. This summer was off to a _wonderful _start.

* * *

><p>Alfred had stopped showing up to their café. Arthur <em>hated<em> this part of his relationships, when he was busy spending too much time with his new boy toy that he forgot Arthur even existed. The least he could do was text or call him, but no, not a single peep out of Alfred for three whole weeks. The nerve of some people! There was no hiding the facts: Arthur had been completely replaced. Kiku was simply better for Alfred, could provide Alfred with all sorts of things that Arthur couldn't, making Arthur unnecessary, and to top it off-

"Hey Artie," a dejected Alfred sat down in front of him, "How goes it?"

That depressed aura, that hopeless look in his eyes, yes, _finally_; Alfred and Kiku had broken up or were on their way to breaking up, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you all month!"

"Just, with Kiku," he stirred his coffee, "at his place or mine, usually. Seriously, he never leaves his room unless I drag him, did you know that?"

"I take it things aren't going well for the two of you then?" It was a testament to how long and often Arthur had been doing this that he didn't let any of the glee in his heart seep into his voice.

"Yeah," Alfred sighed and buried his face in one of his hands, "Yeah, it had gotten to the point where it really did seem like he was only seeing me for my stuff, so I ended it."

Despite his internal happiness, Arthur never did like this part of the break-up process, the Alfred being sad part. Luckily he bounced back quickly, by tomorrow he'd most likely be over it, but right now, he was pulling at Arthur's heartstrings.

He reached across the table and rubbed comforting circles in his friend's arm, "Cheer up. It's not the end of the world. I'm sure someone else is out there for you."

"Really?" Alfred peaked out over his hand, fringe covering half his face.

"Absolutely. They may even be staring you in the face right now for all you know."

"Hm," he lowered his hand completely and used it to bring his cup to his lips, "I guess…"

He was still a bit out of it, and Arthur hated to do it, but this was Alfred's happiness he was talking about, "Do you want to go to the beach? Take your mind off of things."

Alfred's jaw practically dropped, "You _willingly_ want to go to the beach with me?"

"I-it's not that big a deal!" Arthur felt his face go red as he sipped his tea, "And I have nothing against the beach. If you don't want to go that's-"

"No," Arthur looked up and saw Alfred genuinely smile for the first time that day, "I want to go. With you. To the beach."

"Oh, well, excellent," they both tossed their now empty cups into the trash can. As they left, Arthur tossed him a set of keys, "You drive."

* * *

><p><strong>July<strong>

Arthur really only had himself to blame for this. He was the one who introduced them after all, however in his defense, they were complete opposites. How the hell was he supposed to know they'd get along so well? A bit too well, in Arthur's opinion.

Now Alfred Jones was dating Francis Bonnefoy, and Arthur hated them, himself, and everyone everywhere for it.

And it was sickening to watch how much they _cared_ about each other and acted all _lovingly_ together and it made Arthur want to puke up whatever it was he had eaten that day.

"Arthur, are you quite alright?" Francis smirked at him when Alfred had left their table to use the restroom, "You look positively miserable."

Of course he was miserable, his best friend, who he definitely didn't see as anything more than a best friend, was dating the bane of his existence. That alone would be enough to drive anyone up a wall, but Alfred and Francis always _insisted_ that he sat there and watch them be all over each other. And when Arthur would try to get away by making up some excuse, Alfred would get that sad, disappointed look in his eyes that Arthur could never say no to, trapping him there for the rest of the day lest he let Alfred down.

Francis leaned across the table, "You know Arthur, if you want to make a move-"

"Hey guys," Alfred sat back down and swung an arm around Francis's shoulder. Francis leaned into the touch, and Arthur used all of his will power to resist throwing the rest of his tea at him, "So what do you want to do for the rest of the day?"

"This marvelous new restaurant just opened on Main Street," Francis practically purred as he started putting his hands all over _his Alfred_. His friend Alfred, of course, yes, because they were _friends_. They didn't have the emotional compatibility to be anything more than that, not that that's what Alfred wanted.

"Or we can go to the arcade!" Arthur noticed that, in his excitement, Alfred had pulled Francis closer, "I hear they have some cool new prizes!"

"Or maybe the movies?" Francis wasn't helping by leaning closer, "Where it's nice and dark, _oui_?"

"Oh please," Arthur snorted as he stood up, tossing his half empty cup into the garbage, "Why don't you two just get a room?"

He heard Francis mutter, "Feisty isn't he?" while Alfred shouted, "But Artie, we were supposed to do something together!"

"I've got things to do," he waved, not looking back, "You two have fun."

* * *

><p>Despite everything, Arthur still came back to the café to sit with Francis and Alfred every day in July. Every day he had to watch them <em>together<em> and being _perfect together_, when one day, they weren't. The casual touches were becoming less and less, the pure excitement and exhilaration of their new relationship was wearing off, and their differences came into sharp focus as they started arguing more and more.

"I don't see why it's so hard for you to dress like a _human_ once in a while," Francis scoffed as he sipped his coffee, "Honestly, you've been wearing the same shirt for over a week now!"

"It's a nice shirt," Alfred protested, "And I wash it every day so I don't see why you're complaining! Besides how is it less human then whatever you had to kill to get _that _shirt, in any plane of existence?"

Francis crossed his arms and huffed, "You wouldn't know real fashion if it smacked you across the face with a large tuna."

Throughout all of this, Arthur was content to sit back and watch everything explode.

"You are such an insufferable brat!" Francis had shouted after Alfred made a quip about his mother, or his brother, or maybe his hair, Arthur wasn't sure. Point was, he dumped the rest of his drink on Alfred's head before shouting, "I hope you two hopeless idiots are happy together!" and leaving the café.

Alfred blinked and grabbed a bunch of napkins off the table to wipe his head with, "What the hell was that all about?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," Arthur sighed, sipping his tea, "Francis likes things, and people, to neatly fit his mold of the universe. You have a habit of breaking every mold sent your way. This was the expected result, I suppose"

Alfred laughed, making Arthur's insides do all kinds of crazy things he was sure biology couldn't explain properly, "I do, don't I?" he glanced up at the clock behind the barista's head, "So, we've still got the rest of the afternoon ahead of us. You wanna catch a movie or something?"

"As long as it isn't another one of those awful action movies you're always so keen on watching this time of year," Arthur rolled his eyes and grabbed his tea as he stood up.

"But I know how much you like tearing them a new one," he smiled as he held the door open for his friend, "Why would I deny you the pleasure?"

"Why indeed?" Arthur pondered on the way out.

* * *

><p><strong>August<strong>

August had been a very strange month for Arthur. Alfred had changed his drink of choice to tea, was being abnormally nice to him, was drinking tea, had yet to find a new boyfriend, and did he mention he was drinking tea? Because he was, and it was _strange_.

When confronted about these new changes in his routine, Alfred had laughed and made up some ridiculous excuse, like there was a coffee ration, or the coffee was sour that day, or he really thought the tea was coffee but was too considerate to correct the barista when he found out otherwise.

Arthur didn't mind. He liked spending time with Alfred, and if it was just him and Alfred for what seemed like forever, then more power to them.

He did raise an eyebrow when Alfred started giving him gifts. Little gifts at first, a seashell here, a small arcade prize there, but they started getting bigger and bigger until today, when, after sitting down at their usual table in their usual café, his friend Alfred had given him…

"A pocket watch?" Arthur held it up by its chain as it gleamed in the light, "Why on earth did you get me a pocket watch?"

He shrugged, how typical, "It just seemed like something you'd like, you know?"

That was it. Arthur needed answers, and he needed them now. He put the pocket watch back in the box it came in and asked, "Alfred, what's going on?"

Alfred laughed, a little too loud, and sipped his tea, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The gifts, the being nice to me, the tea," he leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow, "_Something's_ going on."

"Nothing's going on," Alfred insisted, refusing to make eye contact.

Arthur found his answer to be rather depressing. Something was clearly going on with Alfred, and he didn't trust Arthur, his supposed best friend, enough to let him know, to let him in, to help him through whatever.

"Isn't that what friends are for?" he said out loud, startling Alfred, "We're supposed to tell each other things, not keep each other in the dark! But, I suppose I'm the only one who sees us that way, aren't I?"

"No!" Alfred slammed his hands on the table, frantic look in his eyes, "It's not… I value our friendship too, you know! And I haven't always acted like it but," he bit his lip and looked away, "This is going to be hard to tell you…"

"Just spit it out if you're going to tell me," Arthur started tapping his foot against the table leg.

"I'm trying to court you," those words made every muscle in Arthur's body freeze, "I, like you, like that, a lot, I've come to realize," Alfred started drumming a beat onto the table as he stoutly refused to look at Arthur, "I know I've messed up relationships a lot in the past, so I want to do it right with you, but I guess I just messed up again, if you didn't even realize…but, still, I'd really like to, you know, try dating, if you want."

Arthur balked in disbelief. After all this time of not even daring to hope, Alfred, _his Alfred_, was sitting across from him, telling him that he did indeed think of him in that way, and not only wanted to _try_ dating him, but wanted to do it right. Arthur's heart exploded with so many emotions as he realized that Alfred was still looking away, face red, aura of rejection spilling off of him. He still hadn't given him a response.

Carefully, as if he would bolt as the slightest touch, Arthur rested his hand on Alfred's, ceasing the drumming to intertwine their fingers.

"I think I'd like that very much."


End file.
